The present invention relates to a new, novel and distinct variety of pear tree ‘Pyrus communis L’ and which has been denominated varietally as “‘LOWRY RED’.”
The present variety of pear tree resulted from a hybrid cross which was performed by the inventor David B. Lowry in April 1985 of a ‘Forelle’ pear tree (unpatented) with that of a red ‘Bartlett’ pear tree (also unpatented). The controlled hybrid cross which was conducted in 1985 produced an original seedling which first produced fruit that was evaluated during the 1997 growing season. The new variety displayed promising characteristics and was then selected for advanced evaluation and reproduction.
Asexual reproduction of this new and distinct variety of pear tree was accomplished by grafting the new variety into 10 test trees during February, 2000. These test trees were originally grafted onto unnamed pear seedling rootstock at an orchard near Phoenix, Oreg. The grafted trees produced a few fruit in September, 2002, and subsequently produced normal crop loads in years 2003 and 2004, respectively. Subsequent evaluations of the characteristics of these asexual reproduced trees run true to the original tree. In this regard, all characteristics of the original seedling, and its fruit, were established and transmitted through the succeeding asexual propagations.
The ‘Lowry Red’ is a new and distinct variety of pear tree which produces fruit having a large size and which is highly colored, and which further matures during middle to late September. The fruit produced by this pear tree which is grown near Phoenix, Oreg. has a good flavor, and a high degree of uniformity throughout the tree. In relative comparison to the parents, the fruit of the ‘Lowry Red’ is mature for harvesting and shipment about one month later than the common commercial ‘Bartlett’ pear varieties, and its red spots such as ‘Red Bartlett’ (all unpatented); and about one week earlier than the pear tree variety ‘Forelle’ (also unpatented) when grown under similar conditions and at the same geographical location. In relative comparison to the ‘Bartlett’ pear tree, the new variety produces fruit which are equal to or larger than the fruit of the ‘Bartlett’ pear tree (unpatented) when grown under the ecological conditions prevailing near Phoenix, Oreg. Further, the fruit of the present variety is substantially larger than the fruit produced by the ‘Forelle’ pear tree. Additionally, the near variety has a red skin color which is more intense than that produced by the ‘Red Bartlett’ pear tree or the ‘Forelle’ pear tree. Still further, the present variety produces fruit having a uniform size and shape which is generally considered more uniform than that of either parent.